At Ease
by CinderCiela
Summary: "I can steal anything." Delic was a thief, just doing his job, when he got hired by the king to steal something for him! But what? And how exactly did that job transform into becoming the butler for the winey Prince Hibiya? Rated T for Delic, and language. But mostly Delic. Medieval(ish) AU, boyxboy.
1. Employment

***le bow* Hello! Welcome! There really isn't too much I have to say before I start the story, so um... enjoy!**

* * *

It was an ordinary job. Just get the prince's crown, get out, then sell it and receive payment. Simple.

I stared up at the castle of King Izaya and Queen Namie in wonder and astonishment. I've always wondered what it must be like for the royal family, living their cushioned lives while the common man had to work for a living. I shrugged the thought off. Some questions aren't meant to be answered.

I dug through my satchel and grabbed a metal rod. It was rusted and old, and had faded spots of blood from previous jobs. I snuck up behind the palace guards - two young men, not too old to be still in training - and smashed the rod against their heads, knocking them out, but not killing them. I headed towards the large brass doors that set the barrier between myself and the interior of the castle and grabbed the metal and enormous lock that held the door closed. I yet again turned to my satchel, digging through it until I found a hairpin, and got to work with picking the lock.

It took quite a bit of work, this particular lock, but after about five minute's worth of lock picking, it opened. Inside I knew would be a swell of guards and soldiers, so I had my metal rod handy.

I had studied enough maps of the structure to know that there was a long, slim corridor on the right, five steps from the entrance. I would head that way, then up a spiral staircase, up four flights. Once I reached the fourth, I would go down the hallway on the left, up yet another flight of stairs, then I would arrive in the kitchen. I'd most likely have to pick yet another lock, and then I would make my way down the next hallway until I arrived in the dinning hall. Then I would turn left, and the bedrooms were not far from there. The only problem would be finding out which room it was that Prince Hibiya inhabited.

As soon as the door swung open, I followed through with my plan. There were less guards than expected, and there also was no lock to pick to the door of the kitchen. Things ran smoothly. Once I arrived at the bedrooms, however, was where the trouble began.

Hibiya was the youngest and the heir of the king's four sons, and was extremely high profile. His brass door would be the one most polished, lacking in smudges and dents. The doorknob would also most likely be made out of something akin to crystal, looking shiny and royal.

I eventually found a door that fit this description, and knocked out the guards the I ran into along the way. The door had no lock, just A golden doorknob encrusted with rubies and sapphires - it was not a bad idea to steal that as well after I had stolen the crown.

Upon entering the room, I had to hold in a gasp. The place was enormous, double - no, _triple_ \- the size of the largest merchant shop I'd ever been in. The walss and floor were made from matching polished marble, and a golden fountain bubbled in a corner. There were two, three, four dressers in the room as well as a huge closet filled with assorted cloaks, but atop the third dresser was where the crown sat. It was at least the size of my hand, and solid gold, too. I had never seen such a valuable object in my life. And it was going to be _mine_.

I was so entrance by the crown and by the room that I almost didn't notice Prince Hibiya, himself, sleeping soundlessly in a canopy bed. He lived such an undeserved, cushioned life, I honestly didn't know what was keeping me from killing him right then and there-

Oh, yes. Because that was _treasonous_.

I sighed and went back to work. I grabbed the crown quickly but without haste. If I were careless, I might knock something over, something that would land with a _thud_ loud enough to wake the prince. I was cautious, and left the room without a trace.

I was making my way back through the corridor, quickly now, when I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. I toppled to the ground, and through blurred vision I saw an arrow, black as night, gouging my shoulderblade. I had been shot! My ears weren't my own anymore, I heard the noises and loud shouts around me as if they were part of a movie soundtrack. The last thing I remembered was something kicking me, then picking me up, and I blacked out.

* * *

I woke to find myself laying in a prison cell, my shoulder throbbing as blood pumped out of the open wound and onto my brown jacket. I could hear voices outside, but my vision was fuzzy and blurred with tears of pain, and I wasn't focused enough to think of who it might be. I thought maybe it was my brothers, but that thought made my head hurt and I didn't want to have to deal with a migraine as well as a damaged shoulder.

"He's awake! Lookit, lookit! He finally woke up!"

"Are you sure? He doesn't look awake to me!"

"Looks drunk if you ask me."

"Roppichin! Don't say such things! He's wounded, yes he is!"

"Hey, look! Here comes the guard!"

"Is he gonna get beheaded?"

"That's for Daddy to decide."

"If so, I wanna watch!"

I finally gained enough strength to open my eyes fully, and almost had a heart attack right then and there when I saw three of the four princes of Ikebukuro staring me down. One was garbed all in black, and had piercing ruby eyes that felt like they were staring into my soul. I looked away from him. The other two had pink eyes as well as smiles on their faces, and that made me feel more relaxed. One was wearing a white suit and the other was in a pink furisode.

I saw a tall man walk over, and unlock my cell. I could have bolted and tried to escape, but with this pain in my shoulder, nothing sounded more comforting than death right now.

He hoisted me onto my feet, and I fumbled a little, but I eventually was able to stand upright. "Walk." He commanded, and I did as I was told. I followed him, shackles and all, down the corridor of this small prison - was this the king's private jail? - until we arrived at the main hall, where king Izaya himself was seated at his thrown. Queen Namie wasn't there; she must've been floating elsewhere in the palace. In Izaya's hand was a crossbow, a warning for me not to do anything stupid. But what would be the point of a warning when he was just going to behead me anyway?

The guard who led me in here then, without warning, kicking the underside of my knee, knocking me to the ground as I doubled over in pain. I was about to curse something foul at the top of my lungs when Izaya began to speak.

"Tell me, you pissant little thief, what shameful name were you so graced with having?" I stared into his eyes. The were the color of rust, and so was his smile. His smirk tightened and I opened my mouth to speak but hacked up spit onto the polished floor instead.

"Delic..." I sputter out, and I see his face contorting. Delic was a name of honor, not the traditional Japanese names given to common men. My name suggested I held a position in some high authority, not that I was a low-life thief.

"Tsk. You've made quite a reputation for yourself, pissant little thief." He cooed, deciding not to call me by name after all. "I hear you can steal _anything_."

"I can."

" _Really_? _Anything_ is a terribly broad category of things to steal. Tell me, can you really steal _anything_?"

"I can steal anything."

"Well then, there's something I want you to steal."

I repeated myself yet a third time. "I can steal anything."

"Oh, I promise you, this will be the most difficult thing you have ever stolen."

"I am strong, swift, and smart. I will find it, whatever it is, and bring it to you."

"This will be terribly difficult to acquire, as no one has ever been able to steal it before. Tell me, can you be the one to steal it for me?"

I nod my head, trying not to let my relief show. He was going to not only spare my life, but he was hiring me as well! "If you'd tell me exactly _what_ it is I'm stealing, there's no doubt in my mind I can get it. As long as it exists, that is."

"Hmm, you'll find out what it is eventually. For now," His gaze shifted over to Prince Hibiya, who I'd only just realized had been sitting in the room with us. "you'll be Hibiya's butler."

"What?!" The sound erupted from me like lava in a volcano. "I thought I was going to steal something for you! How am I supposed to do that while taking care of a bratty little prince?!"

The king chuckled. "All in due time, pissant little thief. Hibiya, make sure to give him a warm welcome!" The man became a burst of laughter, shaking with every noise that erupted from his body. Hibiya screamed in protest, and I collapsed on my back. I take it back. I'd _rather_ be dead.

I shuddered as I thought of my reputation. Delic Heiwajima, Thief For Hire was no more. Please give a warm welcome to Delic Heiwajima, Butler.

* * *

 **P.S.~ Anyone who can guess what it is the Izaya wants Delic to steal gets a cyber cookie~! :)**


	2. Fit for Butlerhood

**Ne, ne, here we are with another chapter~**

 **I'm sorry it's so short T.T**

 ***Nitroglycerin is a highly unstable liquid explosive. And in this AU, there are _few_ modern things, such as headsets~**

 **Also, before I forget, here are character ages:**

 **Roppi- 17**

 **Psyche- 16**

 **Sakuraya- 15**

 **Hibiya- 14**

 **Delic- 18**

 **So, um, I think that's all. Anyways, enjoy~**

* * *

My first duty as the butler of that spoilt little brat was to get 'washed the hell up before I stink my way to high Heaven', as Izaya put it. I was taken to the bathhouse, which was really a steamy room with no more than two tubs full of lukewarm water and hoses. On the shelves were soaps and shampoos, and well as stained towels and moldy washcloths.

There were men already in there (butlers for a butler?) without shirts on, and they bullied me into stripping down to nothing. It felt terribly awkward, standing there, naked as the day I was born. I saw on of the men looking... _down there_ , and I felt a little self conscious. One of the bigger guys grabbed me by the arms, and, had I my father's strength, I would've knocked him across Ikebukuro. Unfortunately for me, I didn't, so I squirmed and struggled as he shoved me into the bathtub. The water in the tub was okay, and I think it might've had salts or bubbles or something in it. Everything was fine until another guy grabbed a hose and hit me square in the face with icewater. They scrubbed shampoo into my scalp, despite my protests, and massaged me with scented soap. This entire ordeal was a terribly embarrassing experience for me, so eventually I gave up struggling and let my mind black out.

After the had decided they'd put me through enough, they grabbed a white suit that had been laying on a hanger. "This used to be Prince Psyche's butler's uniform. He was about your size." A man told me, and they dolled me up and brushed my hair and then shoved my face into a mirror.

I gazed at my reflection with pride. My, I do clean up nicely. My previously messy and mud-brown hair had been washed clean enough to reveal an array of sof6t golden locks. The suit, no matter where it had been before, was stiff and new and it had a not-very-manly bright pink undershirt, but it felt good to be clean in clean clothes for a change. I was also in rather comfortable white dress shoes and wore a tie around my neck. A man carrying a strange object came over and held it out for me to grab.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A headset. There is a valve of ***** nitroglycerin in the left ear, so His Majesty won't have a difficult time killing you should you try to escape." A servant-man replied.

What the _actual_ hell?! "W-Why would he do that?!"

"His Majesty likes keeping castle servants in check, one way or another. Please, put it on."

I set the headset on my ears, and felt it lock in place. Damn, I'm not gonna be able to take it off and it's gonna get annoying.

"Now, Mister Thief, Master Hibiya is waiting."

I walked out of the hot room, deciding right there and then that I was going to make Hibiya's life a living hell. "I'm sure he is."

* * *

"Tch. So, you tried to steal my crown, huh?" I walked back through the flawless brass door and into the enormous room where the brat was laying on his bed, his legs kicked up and facing the ceiling. His head, which was laying against the soft comforter, was titled so he could face me and smirk that acid smirk that he probably inherited from his father.

"Indeed I was." I retort, my voice dripping with venom.

He snarled and sat up and then smirked again. "It's very valuable. But not the most valuable thing you've seen."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

He slowly placed his hands on his chest and smirked wider. "...Me!"

I felt like insulting him, or perhaps shouting something mean back, before I noticed how... _cute_ he was. Oh, I could have fun with this. I was going to drive him _crazy_.

I walked up to the short and shrewd Prince Hibiya, placing my experienced hands on his hips, and leaning down so my face was no more than a few inches from his. "You know what?" I asked, then I mushed my body against his. "I think you're right..." I murmured seductively, leaning in for a kiss when he bounced back in shock and disgust, just as expected.

"Ugh! Filthy rat! Street shit! Gutter scum! How _dare_ you make _advances_ on me?!" He shrieked, and I couldn't help but double over in laughter. "Oh, you think this is _funny_ , peasant?! Just wait until my father hears of this!"

I gave him a glare of surprise. "But... you father's the one who hired me."

His right eye twitched, and he burst into fits of rants. "What?! Why would he do that?! I thought he hated gutter scum!"

I laughed all throughout this comical experience, thinking maybe this wouldn't be so bad. That is - until Hibiya regained his composure.

"You!" He said firmly, pointing a gloved finger at me. "Are a butler! _My_ butler! And you must do what I say!"

"And just what do you have to say, O Informed One?" I snort back mockingly.

However he flashed me a devious smirk, and a bad feeling sank in my heart. "I want you to go play with my brother Psyche. You see, I usually have to right about now, but I think he'd like you better than me." There was something in his voice that I didn't like at all.

"Um, okay..." I said without as much confidence as I had hoped for. "Um, where do I go to find him?"

"Oh, he should be out in the courtyard doing-God-knows-what. He'll like you, I'm sure. Now get along."

I followed my orders, and it took me quite a bit of time to find the courtyard. There were gardens and mazes and patios to sit at, and I was looking at a rather lovely solid gold fountain when I realized: I had no idea what Psyche looked like. I knew he was the second oldest, and that he wasn't good king material for some reason, but that was it.

I wandered around aimlessly when someone finally pounced me from behind. My attacker then licked my ear and said, "What do we have here?"


End file.
